iPhone / iPad App for Better Burn Injury Management

Chris Seaton, PhD student in Computer Science at the University of Manchester and a former captain in the Royal Army Medical Corps, has developed an iPhone / iPad app to improve the immediate medical management in burn injuries. Having been in the field himself, he has seen some horrific burn injuries in fellow soldiers, and the former army man decided to build an app to improve treatment.

The software enables a quick, accurate calculation of the amount of fluids to be administered after burn injuries. Fluid management is a crucial factor in improving the chances of survival. Using the touchscreen on either the iPhone or the iPad, one can color the burnt areas on a computer model of a torso. Additionally, the app also requires the burn victim’s age and weight. Using these input variables, the app will instantly calculate the right amount of fluid. You can see a video of how the app works down below.

Research results from a test conducted by a team at Manchester showed that the app reduced errors compared to pen and paper by a third. Also, the mobile devices make it possible that calculations can be made anywhere, for example by soldiers in the field.

Stanley is an MD and PhD candidate at the Academic Medical Center Amsterdam, the Netherlands. His research field is in ophthalmology and optical coherence tomography, making amazing pictures of and performing precise measurements in the human retina everyday.